Word: thrifts
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 2000-2009
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Warren, Rick •anti-gay language is removed from website of •gay thrift shop is visited...
...similarly nuanced picture. Among the most brutalized have been rubber-shoe maker Crocs (down 96%, to $1.52), bookseller Borders (down 93%, to $0.71), home furnisher Pier 1 Imports (down 90%, to $0.51) and casual eatery Ruby Tuesday (down 86%, to $1.38). But there have been standouts too. Some are thrift-conscious companies that make for classic recession plays: Dollar Tree (up 61%, to $41.61), 99 Cents Only Stores (up 39%, to $11.05), Family Dollar (up 27%, to $24.51) and Wal-Mart (up 15%, to $54.63). Others, though, are less predictable, including shoe chain Finish Line (up 134%, to $5.66), teen...
...Despite the fact that many Americans' only contact with the Salvation Army is its holiday season kettles or its more than 1,300 thrift stores, these programs represent less than 15% of the charity's annual revenue in the U.S. (Most of the rest of its 2007 income came from in-kind donations, government funds, and direct online or mail contributions.) The Army is the second-largest charity in America - the United Way is number one - a fact that's astounding when you consider that it isn't even based in the U.S., but is headquartered in London...
Adding to the pressure on retailers is a shorter window to shop and a suddenly thrift-minded shopper. Black Friday--when the holiday shopping season traditionally begins, the day after Thanksgiving--falls on Nov. 28, far later than usual. Compared with last year, stores now have five fewer shopping days and one less weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Looming layoffs and tightening credit have crushed consumer confidence, making shoppers more discerning than ever. Before buying a gift, 71% of shoppers ask themselves, Is this a smart use of my money? according to an October survey on how America shops, conducted...
...into this recalibrated value system--one based on caution rather than the branded excess of Christmas past. "The American consumer is trading downward in the most dramatic fashion ever seen," says Howard Davidowitz, chairman of Davidowitz & Associates, a retail-consulting firm. What's more, the thrift mind-set has seeped into all income levels. Saks Fifth Avenue, for instance, had a 16.6% drop in sales in October. "Saving is cool right now," says Candace Corlett, president of WSL. "Conspicuous consumption is out, and people have lost their passion to buy." (See pictures of the global financial crisis...